Look but don't type

Jun 24, 2017

Even though Gabe and I sometimes have slightly differing views on the iPad’s productivity value compared to the Mac, with his latest post, I think we are completely in sync—metaphorical Chris Farley falls and all.

In particular, he nails a massive friction point for me with the iPad:

I can type more comfortably on my iPhone than I can with my iPad Pro on the couch, in bed, or even just reclined in the backyard. I’m sure there’s a good case out there that will solve this problem, but I’d rather see Apple solve it.

I’ve tried using various keyboards for my 13” iPad Pro, but I’ve never found one that let me comfortably type while sitting away from a flat table or desk. This has been a huge failure point from a practical perspective for me because the iPad, by design, begs to be used away from conventional “work stations.” So the irony is that the only time I can do serious word creation on my iPad is while sitting at a desk or table.

If I want to escape those confines, which is a frequent want, I use my 13” MacBook Pro, which has the same form factor as the big-big iPad, but allows for lap typing.

Like Gabe, I also find myself in the funny position of using my iPhone to type more, even when my iPad is at hand. A great example: if I’m reading a book on my iPad, it’s actually easier to write notes about the book using my iPhone. I even wrote this entire post in Drafts on my iPhone at the breakfast table. My iPad is in sight across the kitchen.

I still use the iPad a lot, but its use cases for typing still remain very limited for me. The Mac and iPhone just have superior keyboard forms.